Kissing You
by ASubtleGrace
Summary: Claire Danvers is back from a month long trip, only to find that the unthinkable has happenned. Shane has cheated on her. She seeks solace in the lab, and grows closer to her crazy boss. Can Myrnin put her heart together again?
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so this is my first fanfiction! *screams in excitement* When I read The Morganville Vampires there was one pairing I felt was neglected severely. Namely because the pairing didn't exist. But that's what fanfic is for, right? There are some amazing Myrnin/Claire stories on here and I thought I'd add my own :) They make a great couple if you ask me, so please, if you don't like the pairing, don't read. So, here goes, my first ever fanfic. Please R&R, constructive criticism is welcome, just please, try to be gentle? Hope you enjoy! :)**

***I OWN NOTHING* But how I wish I did. Especially Myrnin.**

Chapter One

An Unwelcome Visitor

Claire Danvers sighed. Glancing around, she realised that things in the Glass House had not changed a bit in the couple of weeks she'd been gone. Same game controllers left on the sofa from last night's sparring. Same coffee cup left in the sink beside a thermos flask whose contents she's still rather pretend were cranberry juice. Home. She'd missed it in the few weeks that she'd been away on an errand for Amelie. It had been tiring, and she had constantly wished for the familiarity and safety of the Glass House. She had yearned to see her friends again, Eve, Michael, and especially Shane. She couldn't wait to see him, to feel his warm arms envelop her as he told her how much he'd missed her. She'd even missed Myrnin. She smiled at the thought of her crazy vampire boss. He had been furious with Amelie for sending her away for so long, he'd said that he'd needed his apprentice in the lab. She doubted it, Myrnin's mind was incredible and it wasn't as if she could suggest much that he hadn't heard before. No, it was more the fact that when in a good mood, which he nearly always was with her these days, he simply enjoyed her company. Not that he'd ever admit to such a thing. Sighing once more, Claire began to make her way up the stairs, ready to sleep for a few days. She had reached the end of the hall when she heard muffled voices coming from Shane's room. Was that a giggle? She approached the door silently and pressed her ear to it. Yep, there was definitely some talking going on, that was definitely a female voice she heard, and it wasn't Eve's. Anger boiled under the surface of her skin, red hot. Seething, Claire stepped back and flung open the door with as much force as she could muster. It banged off Shane's wall and allowed her a full view of the room within. There, perched on Shane's lap, sat a girl. The opposite of Claire, she had bright blonde hair and blue eyes. And very little clothing. She was giggling as he laid feather light kisses along her neck and shoulder. In the second before the door made contact with the wall, Claire had seen enough. As the boom reverberated around the room. Claire stood in the doorway, frozen. Shane looked up from the girl and froze similarly. "Claire?" He said, shock colouring his tone, "what are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming home 'till Tuesday?" Rage ran through Claire, thick and hot, and blood roared in her ears as she registered his words. Without a second's hesitation, Claire ran across the hall and into her room, almost slamming the door off its hinges. Facing the blank wall, she conjured up an image of the first place she thought of. Myrnin's lab.

Myrnin's POV

It had been weeks since he'd seen his little Claire. She hated when he called her that, whenever he referred to her as little or any other word that hinted that she was vulnerable. He chuckled softly at the memory of her telling him so a month ago. There had been a fierceness in her eyes and a fire to her as she told him that never, under any circumstances, was he to call her little again. A grin formed on his face as he realised now that she hadn't objected to him referring to her as his. He quickly realised where this train of thought was taking him, and shook his head to rid him of the thoughts. There was no way that Claire would ever want him, an old crazy vampire, who was her _boss _no less, the way that he found himself wanting her. Wait, did he just admit to himself that he wanted her? Such foolishness! She was nothing but an apprentice, and a weak human to boot! But...there was just something about his little bird that he could not get over. He had not felt this way since Ada. In fact, this was worse. He found himself thinking of Claire more and more these days. Her smile, her faith in him, her intelligence...he had to stop! He wandered over to a half finished experiment at one of the wooden tables that adorned the room. Claire had shown him what she thought would work, and, of course, it had. But he just couldn't bring himself to finish it without her. He had a feeling that she would arrive to the lab any day now, even though she wasn't due home for nearly a week. He could not explain it, he just had a gut instinct that his Claire would be here soon to fill his lab with sunlight and l- wait! Had he just been about to say love? This was truly getting out of hand. But the longer he thought of the little four letter word, the more he realised. It was true. He loved her. Uh-oh.

Claire's POV

As the portal shifted between frequencies, Claire tried to get a hold of herself. Concentrate, damn it! How was she going to get out of here if she couldn't conjure up a portal? She would not walk past his room. She couldn't. "Claire!" Shane boomed, "Claire, wait! Let me explain!" He barged through her door and stood behind her, breathing heavily. He spun her round to face him just as she felt the portal click into place. Tears, hot and unwanted, streamed from her eyes as she faced the boy who betrayed her. He was holding her arms in a vice-like grip, refusing to let her go until he had said his piece. He opened his mouth but Claire quickly silenced him with an unearthly scream of frustration. "Explain?" she exploded, "Explain what, exactly, Shane? How after I've been gone for a few lousy weeks you just fell into the arms of some slut? Well, I'm all ears. Please, do share your lame excuses." She could her the trembling in her voice and hated herself for it. Why should she show how upset she was to him? He deserved nothing from her but anger. He flinched at her words and she could see the torment in his eyes. "Claire, please, you don't understand. You were gone for so long, I missed you. I missed us. I got so lonely, i missed all the things we used to do together. But, please Claire, she meant nothing, know that she meant nothing to me. I love you." Claire let out a short, bitter laugh at that one. "You love me?" she spat, "well, you've sure got a funny way of showing it, Collins. I can't believe you. Just stay away from me. You honestly expect me to forgive you for cheating on me because you got lonely? You think it's ok that you got a stand in 'till I came back?" Her voice had risen to a scream and she whirled around to face the portal. She had one foot through when he grabbed her wrist and yanked her back. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" she wailed, "STAY AWAY FROM ME! I NEVER WANT TO LOOK AT YOU AGAIN!" She shoved him with all the strength she had, but he still kept her wrist in a steady grip. "Look, Claire..." he began, but she didn't want to hear any more lame excuses. She'd had enough. "I loved you," she whispered. She did the last thing she could think of. She just hoped the portal was still open and he could hear her. She sucked in a shaking breath and shouted his name.

"MYRNIN!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, so here it is! Chapter Two has arrived. I'm going to keep trying updating as soon as possible, and I hope you guys like the new chapter. Thanks so much for the kind reviews, they really mean a lot. I wasn't expecting such positive feedback! *grins like a maniac* Thanks to lg 1514 for the helpful advice, I hope this one contains better paragraphing! :) Really, thank you all so much, I'm so glad you liked it. Your reviews have made it so much easier to continue with this. Myrnin and Claire forever! **

***I OWN NOTHING* **

Myrnin's POV

He was still tinkering with the experiment when he heard her voice. Well, her scream actually. He tried to ignore the sick feeling that arose in his stomach as he desperately hoped that no harm had come to her. God help whoever hurt his little Claire. When he was finished with them, they would be begging for death. Which he would gladly oblige them. No-one hurt his Claire and got away with it. Racing to the portal he heard her shout his name. Did she sound...desperate? That was almost enough to make his dead heart pound in fear. A million thoughts went rushing through his head, if anyone had hurt her...

He arrived in less than a second and sprang through the portal without hesitation. Claire turned to face him when she heard him approach behind her. There were tears streaking down her beautiful face and her eyes, oh, she had lovely eyes, were red and puffy from crying. When she saw him a sob ripped through her and it was all he could do not to grab her tightly and comfort her and never let go. The only thing that stopped him doing so was _him._ The boy had gone white at the sight of him. Well, why shouldn't he have? Myrnin could feel his fangs were fully extended and, judging by the fury running through his veins, he was pretty sure that his eyes had taken on a blood red sheen. A growl escaped from his lips as he took in the scene in front of him. The boy had obviously hurt Claire, she was sobbing as if there were no tomorrow, and Myrnin felt a short burst of satisfaction. Not that Claire was hurt, God no, but that it was the useless boy who did it. He had never liked the scoundrel and now he had the perfect excuse to end him. No-one hurt his Claire and survived.

He slowly inched closer to the pair, a feral smile playing on his lips. He would enjoy hurting this boy, Claire was far too good for him. Myrnin had always thought so and the scene in front of him just confirmed it. "Let her go." He commanded, but to no avail. The silly boy just grasped her wrist all the tighter. Myrnin heard Claire's sharp intake of breath and saw her wince in pain.

That was it. Letting out a roar of pure fury, Myrnin lunged forward and grabbed the boy by the neck.

Claire's POV

She had felt Myrnin's presence rather than heard him approach. A wave of pure relief washed through her at the sight of him. It was strange, that the arrival of her insane boss brought her an intense feeling of safety. When Myrnin was around, Claire knew that no harm would ever come to her. Well, except maybe from him. But she held an unwavering faith in Myrnin, he would never hurt her, she knew that, deep down. Unlike Shane, he would never destroy her.

She recoiled at the fury in his eyes, even though it wasn't directed at her. Menace seemed to roll off him in waves, the very air around him seemed to chill as his eyes took on the red colouring of bloodlust. Or, in this case, rage. She distantly heard him tell Shane to let her go, but the words barely registered as she stared at Myrnin. Even in this state of pure menace, he still brought a feeling overwhelming reassurance to her. She was safe. Safe from pain, hurt, and Shane.

She felt a sharp pain race up her arm and gasped. That was going to leave a bruise. She wouldn't be surprised if he had fractured something in her wrist with his possessive grasp. How she hated him in that moment. How dare he refuse to let her go, how dare he get all possessive now? Hadn't he just demonstrated to her how little he actually cared? I love you, he'd said, but they were just empty words. Tears stung her eyes once again and it took all she had not to collapse to the floor in misery. She was brought back from her train of thought when she caught a flicker of movement from the corner of her eye. She glanced quickly to the wall, where Myrnin had Shane by the throat. She couldn't truthfully say she minded all that much, he was a cheating douche-bag. But still, she didn't want him to _die_.

"Myrnin! _Stop_!" She began, but she was cut off by him. "Just a moment, Claire. I won't kill him. I want to, very much, but I know that in the end that that would just upset you. You really do have a terrible goodness about you, little one. No, I just want to make one point clear to this scoundrel." His voice was velvety smooth and each word was spoken through gritted teeth. He really was having a hard time not killing him, she realised with a jolt. When he had finished addressing her, he turned back to Shane, who was now turning a nasty shade of blue. His face was mere inches from the boy's, and he seemed to be having great trouble not fanging him. "Now," he growled, lacing his words with threat, "You are lucky that Claire wishes you to live, boy. For I certainly do not. You will not lay a finger on her again, do I make myself clear? If you so much as breathe on her ever again, I _will _kill you."

With that, he let go of Shane and let him fall to the floor, gasping for air. He turned to Claire in an instant, gently taking her face between his hands. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks and a thrill race through her body at the contact. She had to stop this, he was sure to have heard her heart rate suddenly speed up when he touched her. As if he would ever feel the same! She was nothing compared to his magnificence. He was handsome beyond mere mortal standards, his soft dark hair curled around his ears in a manner so adorable it was all Claire could do not to reach up and run her hands through his silky locks. She had to distract herself, and quickly. She looked up into his eyes, for he was a good head taller than her, and she was shocked at the concern radiating from him. His warm, chocolate brown eyes held nothing but compassion and fear for her. She looked down to the floor, unable to continue looking into his eyes for fear of that traitorous blush igniting again.

She felt his cool hands brush her hair back from her face, and one cool finger caught her under her chin and slowly brought her face up so that she was looking into his again. "Claire," he said softly, "are you alright?" That was all she needed to bring back the sobs, and as they tore through her body, he pulled her close to him and held her tight.

Claire had never felt more secure since arriving in Morganville until that moment.

**So, what did you guys think? Please R&R, I'd be so grateful! Once again, thanks to all those who have reviewed so far, it really means so much. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much for the amazing reviews! :) It really means so much to me, you have no idea! I am still shocked at the great response and I am so grateful for all the kind reviews. A special thanks to those who have reviewed both previous chapters, I am so glad that you liked it and enjoyed the second chapter too. I hope that this one is as enjoyable :) OK, I'm rambling now, so I'll just get on with it!**

***I OWN NOTHING* :'(**

Chapter Three

Through The Portal

Myrnin's POV

Myrnin truly had found it exceptionally hard not to kill the scoundrel and rid himself of the worthless boy once and for all. But he couldn't, Claire wouldn't want it. His sweet little Claire, always wanting the best for people, even the boy who had so obviously destroyed her. Seeing Claire so distraught had brought out a deeply buried instinct in Myrnin that he had forgotten he had. Compassion. Looking down at the small and beautiful girl in front of him and watching her heart break was close to breaking his own. Before he knew it, he had reached out to her and encircled her in his arms. He wanted nothing more than to protect his little bird. And he would die before he let any pain like this ever touch her again.

Looking into her eyes, he saw her fear and hurt, and he wished he could take it all away. Pulling her closer to him, he simply held her until her tears had subsided. When she had finished crying, he held her still, stroking her hair and mumbling comforts to her. He could barely believe what he was doing. Since when was he a source of solace? When had he ever provided comfort or reassurance? Was this what love did? He felt a small smile play on his lips as he realised he was holding the one thing that mattered in the world. His little Claire. His life.

Claire's POV

She didn't know how long she stood there in Myrnin's embrace, she only knew that it felt good. She felt warm, and safe, and loved. Even though she knew better than to think he loved her. She had to stop allowing her imagination to run away with her. Myrnin didn't love her, he was simply acting as a concerned friend. Wasn't he? Shaking her head to try and clear her muddled thoughts, she slowly raised her head to look at him. He gave her a small, tentative smile, and she realised belatedly that he had been stroking her hair. "Thank you," she murmured, "you saved me." She knew it sounded melodramatic, but that's how she felt. She had been lost, lonely and afraid when she had brought up the portal to his lab, and he had charged through and saved her. He had made her feel safe and at secure when she had been ready to break down completely.

His eyes softened when she thanked him, and he leant down and gave her a squeeze. "Claire," Myrnin said, "it is completely fine. Anytime you need me, you know that I am here. Besides, I never liked young Collins anyway." He chuckled as he looked over at Shane, who still lay slumped on the floor. "Oops,"whispered Myrnin, "I think he has become unconscious due to my crushing his trachea." Claire's eyes widened to the size of saucers as she glanced over at her ex-boyfriend. "He's not dead, right? Just unconscious?" she worried, she felt guilty as she realised she had forgotten all about him while in the warm comfort of Myrnin's arms. "Oh yes, yes, he is simply unconscious. Do not worry, little one, I assure you he is, unfortunately, quite all right." And this time, Claire didn't object to his nickname for her as he held out his hand and led her though the portal.

Myrnin's POV

Myrnin suppressed a chuckle at the wide eyed look on his dear Claire. She still worried about the troublemaker even now. It was quite touching, really. If she could still maintain human emotion for the good-for-nothing mess on the floor, there was simply no reason why she couldn't love Myrnin. He quickly compared himself to the boy on the floor. Yes, there was no doubting it, he was better in every way. Insanely handsome, _check. _Outstandingly intelligent, _check. _Oh- so-charismatic, the list went on. _Check, check and check. _The only thing the boy had on him was that he was alive, lucid 24/7, and a less than 900 years age difference. But that was going into the details.

And, anyway, how sane could the boy be if he had betrayed the amazing girl in front of him? She was the perfect woman, really. Smart, beautiful, caring, she possessed an astounding goodness that Myrnin could not help but admire. And did he mention beautiful? This thought pattern had to end immediately! She was standing right in front of him, in his own lab, for goodness sake! If he didn't stop thinking of her and how much he wanted her for his own he honestly could not be held responsible for his actions. And the poor girl had had enough harassment for one day. Why add the obsessions of a crazy old vampire to the mix?

"Right!" he said, snapping himself out of it, "So, dearest, what shall we do to cheer you up? Shall we invent a miniature version of the boy and vaporise it? Or how about making pancakes? I hear that's a very enjoyable past-time for you humans. Or a game of hide and seek perhaps? I promise not to use my vampire advantages." He said solemnly. Claire let out a laugh and the sound warmed Myrnin, a happiness bubbled inside of him that he had forgotten he could experience. He too laughed, and soon they were left with tears running down their faces and Claire was clutching her sides, gasping for air. As the laughter trailed off, they found themselves simply smiling at each other.

"Thank you," she repeated earnestly, her smile fading, "Myrnin, you always know how to cheer me up. I don't know what I'd do without you." She smiled at him tentatively after her confession, and Myrnin was left awe-struck. She really did have a beautiful smile. She seemed to notice his hesitation and her face coloured in embarrassment. She was so cute when that happened.

Wait a second, did he actually just describe something as cute? This being-in-love thing was really lowering his vocabulary dramatically. He'd have to go and read the dictionary to avoid becoming a socially inert buffoon. He was broken out of his reverie by the sound of Claire clearing her throat. Oops, it seemed as if he had been staring at her the whole time. That reminded him- he had yet to reply to her statement. "Well, Claire, put quite simply, without me, your life would suck." He grinned as she giggled at his little pun as if it hadn't been made thousands of times in the little town. Still grinning, he reached out and ruffled her hair affectionately. "To bed with you," he said, "I have a busy day planned for us tomorrow." He sighed as he watched her walk away to the bedroom in the back of the lab. "Sweet dreams," he whispered at the closed door, "I love you."

**So, that was Chapter 3. Sorry about the short length, and lack of plot, but I thought it was necessary to set it up for their forming relationship. Now Myrnin has Claire all to himself ;) There shall be some fluff in the upcoming chapters, I just can't resist! Hope you enjoyed, please R&R, it means a lot :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Oh wow. I honestly can't believe the response this fic is getting! I thought that people would hate it and tell me to stop spamming. Honestly, it is so heartening to read all these lovely reviews, they make my day when I read them. You guys are so nice! :-) Thank you all so much, I can't believe I have over 20 reviews, it makes me so happy and makes continuing with this so much easier. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been really busy this summer, babysitting non-stop! Sorry for the really long A/N, I shall stop ranting now. :-) So, here is chapter 4. Hope you like!**

***I OWN NOTHING* If I did Myrnin and Claire would be together. The injustice of it all! :P**

Chapter Four - In The Middle Of The Night

Claire's POV

Sleep was evading her. As she lay in the tangle of sheets that adorned Myrnin's bed, she grew more and more frustrated. Her brain would just not shut up. Images flashed across her mind like a never ending film reel, tormenting her. Entering the Glass House. Shane and that girl. A dark-haired saviour holding her as she cried. She felt as if she was the only person awake in the whole of Morganville. The only one with a pulse, that is. She had lain there for hours trying to empty her mind. She had written it all down on a scrap of paper and hidden it in her backpack. She had listed off the periodic table, all the alchemical symbols she knew and what they meant, and counted sheep. But it was futile. No matter how hard she tried to shut out the world for a few blissful hours, it still assaulted her senses.

Sighing, she realised that it was useless. Sitting up in bed, she reached blindly for the lamp beside the bed. Flicking the switch, she blinked until her eyes adjusted and yawned deeply. Her eyes were heavy with fatigue and her limbs were weary and sore. She rubbed at her eyes and stumbled to her feet, feeling her way to the small bathroom adjacent to the bedroom. She laughed as she caught sight of herself in the mirror above the sink. Her hair was sitting at odd angles, her skin looked deathly pale, her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and, to top it all off, they were rimmed by thick black circles underneath. Her amusement soon faded when she realised there was a very real possibility that Myrnin could see her like this. She splashed her face with cold water and rooted around the cabinet for a hairbrush but to no avail. She pulled her fingers through her tangle-strewn hair and winced as she caught a larger knot. She decided to give up after a few unsuccessful minutes. She'd just have to try her luck in the kitchen and hope that he wasn't there. But why was she so bothered?

Her feelings for Myrnin were confusing, to say the least. She loved Shane, didn't she? She couldn't just flick a switch and rid herself of her feelings for him in one solitary day. But the more she thought about it, the more she realised that Shane couldn't have loved her as much as she loved him. If you loved someone, loved them truly and sincerely as she'd thought he had, you would never betray them. You would never cheat. You would never break their heart. And that was exactly what Shane had done. If she was honest with herself, she knew these feelings she was having for Myrnin, her ever growing attraction to him, didn't just spring up overnight. Whenever she had thought of Myrnin in the past, she had thought of a boss, a friend. Any other feelings she had found herself having towards him she had ridded her mind of. She had always felt guilty when she caught herself watching him as he worked, wondering what it would be like to feel his arms around her and his lips on hers. But there was no reason to feel guilty now, right? She tried to reason with herself. Shane was the one who had cheated, not her. She had never acted on her feelings. She loved Shane and was always true to him no matter what her thoughts begged her to do.

Her thoughts were leading her down a dangerous path, and she suddenly felt very young and naive. As if Myrnin would have the same feelings as she did. She doubted that every time he saw her, he got butterflies and got increasingly nervous as she came closer, like she did with him. She doubted that he found himself loving her as she suspected that she did him. He wasn't a boy, like Shane was. He was a man who had lived through countless centuries and seen things she could only dream of. He was so much better than she was, and she had a sinking feeling that it would always be that way. She could never compare to him. Plus, there was the whole vampire thing. If she annoyed him by confessing her feelings he could laugh in her face or just kill her for lack of another response. But she knew deep within herself that Myrnin would never kill her, and would never hurt her so much that it would be a possibility. When in his right mind, he was gentle, kind and caring, and he had been in his right mind so much lately. She could barely remember the last time he had lost control around her, and she felt an inexplicable feeling of absolute safety when she was with him.

He would most likely only laugh at her if she came clean about her feelings about him. Hell, she could even pretend it was a joke if that happened. They would laugh about it together while her heart silently broke on the inside. Resolve hardened, she knew what she was going to do. She was going to tell him.

Myrnin's POV

Myrnin had stared at the door for hours after Claire had closed it. He could hear her tossing and turning, huffing out impatient breaths and sighing at least once every five minutes. Oh, how he had found himself longing to enter that room. Knowing she was _right there _was driving him demented. But he knew he could not enter, he knew what he would have done. After the usual niceties, he would have lain down beside her and held her and kissed her and..._stop._

If he continued staring at that door another minute he was going to rip it off its hinges by running straight through it. Poor Claire had had enough to deal with that day, he didn't want to traumatise the girl. He didn't know how to act around her anymore, and it was driving him crazy. Well, more crazy than he usually was. Every time she accidentally brushed past him, he felt the urge to grab her and just hold her close to him. Every time she smiled, he longed to cover her mouth with his own. She had been in that room for hours now and not once had he heard her breathing slow into the contented rhythm of sleep. He knew without even trying that he wouldn't be able to sleep. Knowing she was near was enough to keep sleep at bay.

When had this happened? When had he begun to love her? He didn't know, but he knew that he was far too late to try and stop now. He was in too deep and he didn't even care. Releasing a breath he hadn't known he was holding, he began to pace the room. Each footfall was punctuated by a thought of her. How it would feel to tell her that he had fallen for her. How she does that little triumphant smile whenever she had finished an experiment or got the lid off of a jar by herself.

Suddenly, he heard a stir from the other side of the door, and hastily retreated into the shadows. He heard Claire's tinkling laugh come from behind the door and smiled to himself. He loved it when she laughed, the way her eyes lit up and the pure joy in the sound. Her laughter cut off abruptly and Myrnin found himself wondering if she was okay. A thousand scenarios ran through his head. Claire gagged by an intruder from behind, a hand at her throat, fear in her eyes.

He was just about to barge through the door when he heard her breathe again and begin to mumble to herself under her breath. Satisfied that she was safe, he recommenced pacing. He had a feeling that Claire would not return to bed, and he pondered what to make her for breakfast as he wandered into the kitchen. What was half of this stuff, anyway? Grimacing, he sifted through the contents of the cupboards. Empty. Which meant he was going to have to cook. Not good. Myrnin had never cooked in his life, the only thing he had ever done in this kitchen was heat blood in the microwave. In his earlier life, before he was a vampire, he had had a cook. Longing for that cook now, Myrnin set about his task.

Remembering that she had smiled at the mention of pancakes yesterday, he started to grab the things he would need. Realising he had no clue what that would be, he found himself at a loss. What exactly was in a pancake? For a genius, he realised he really was quite ignorant when it came to all things human. Especially food, seeing as all he needed was blood. And he very much doubted Claire would appreciate a steaming cup of O negative. Best to guess, then.

Eggs, it had to be. They were in everything gooey. Right? He set about looking for a bowl to mix them in, rummaging through the cupboards until he found one. Letting out a triumphant yell, he set it on the table happily. With a grin transforming his face, he realised that this would be easy. If a human could do it then he definitely could! So, now to look for eggs. Where were eggs kept? "If I were an egg," he mused aloud, "were would I be?" He heard a noise from his bathroom, Claire was awake. Well, _awaker_, anyway. He had to hurry up. He let out a frustrated shout when his search for those damn eggs was proven futile. She would come in here any minute! His frustration was growing fast until he just had to smash something. Lifting the bowl, he threw it at the far wall, where it shattered into oblivion. That felt better. But then he remembered that he was going to look stupid in front of Claire. He had been alive for centuries and couldn't even make a darn pancake, something even that wretched boy could probably do. His frustration turned to shame. Claire needed someone who could look after her, and protect her. Sure, he could protect her, but how was he supposed to look after her and care for her when he couldn't even do that for himself?

He looked forlornly at the shards of the bowl scattered along the floor. What was Claire going to say? She would think he was crazy, a danger. If she frustrated him, would he break her, too? No. He would never hurt her. But did she know that? Did she trust him? Did he make her feel safe?

The questions brought only one answer to the forefront of his mind. No. No, she didn't feel safe around him, how could she when he had lost control of himself in front of her so many times? She did trust him, this he knew, but he also knew that she shouldn't. Ada had trusted him, too.

His self-depreciating thoughts brought a feeling of despair upon him. He would never be with Claire, it was impossible. It was just not right. She was too innocent, too naive, too trusting. He would destroy her as he had with Ada, because that's just what he did. Destroyed everything he ever cared about. He wiped the tears from his face and chided himself for letting them fall. _Stupid fool_, he thought_, stop crying like a child. No wonder no-one has ever taken you seriously. _He hastily gathered up the debris of the bowl as he heard the bedroom door open. He stuffed them in the cutlery drawer and tried his best to look nonchalant.

A grin fought its way through his facade as he noticed she was wearing his bathrobe. She stood awkwardly in the doorway, her hands picking at the edge of the sleeves, a slow blush working its way from her neck to her face when she saw that his attention was focused solely on her.

"I-I, um, just saw this hanging on the doorknob...and I, um.." she stammered, "I'm sorry." She finished lamely, averting her gaze to the floor. Myrnin literally had to hold back a laugh at this point. She just looked so adorable right now with his oversized robe pooling over her hands and around her ankles, trying to explain herself. "Claire," he assured, "there's no need to explain yourself. You can use anything you want in this lab. You know that."

"B-but...this is different, I mean...it's your clothes..." she trailed off again and her blush deepened, "I should have asked."

This time, he did laugh. Little Claire was getting so flustered over a silly robe. What did she think he was going to do to her for wearing it? Murder her? His laugh quickly choked off as he realised that might be true. "Claire," he said again, his tone turning more serious as he continued, "I really must assure you that it is quite all right. You suit it. It's...what do you say?_ Cute_ on you." He was shocked as her blush deepened again, really, how did she manage it without combusting?

"So..." she began, "Good morning." She smiled shyly at him. His heart contracted. She really was beautiful. "Good morning," he replied, "did you sleep well?" He knew that she hadn't slept at all, hence why her face was pale and drawn, and she looked like she might collapse at any moment, but he didn't want her to know that he had been listening to her and staring at the door. She already thought he was crazy without that being added to her conclusions.

"Well, sort of. Not really. No." She admitted, "I mean, it wasn't the room or anything, it was great, it was just...just that there was too much going on in my mind. I couldn't stop thinking about earlier...yeah." She fidgeted with her hands and avoided looking at him. "Thanks again, for everything." She whispered. Myrnin's heart felt as if it were breaking. He wanted to tell her. Everything. He wanted to grab her and kiss her and never leave her. He wanted her to know that he loved her.

"Yes, well," he said, voice sounding strangled, "it's really no problem. You know I'm always here if you need me. And I always will be. You do know that?"

She looked timid before she spoke. "Yes, I know Myrnin, and I can't thank you enough. Would it be okay if...if you...if you could...um..." she stopped again, "never mind."

"Yes?" he pressed, "what is it? Anything. Just ask and you shall receive." He waggled his eyebrows roguishly at her and felt happiness burst inside him when she giggled. He loved the sound.

"It's just...I'm really tired and think that if...well, when I was younger and couldn't sleep, my mom would always...she would...lie down beside me." She finished in a rush and looked horrified that she had admitted it. "But you totally don't have to! It was stupid...I'm sorry, I spoke before I thought...sorry" she turned and began to leave the room.

Myrnin couldn't believe it. Did she just...did she just ask him to sleep beside her? Where was she going? He reached out and touched her wrist, causing her to turn and look back. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. One escaped from the corner of her eye and he gently brushed it away. "Claire," he whispered, "of course I will sleep beside you. I make a very good pillow," he finished, tone turning lighter at the end. She smiled weakly at him and made to leave again, but she was so tired she could barely stand. Without a word, he leant down and scooped her into his arms. She was as light as a feather and he smiled adoringly down on her when she closed her eyes and turned her face into his chest.

"Thank you," she murmured, eyes already closing. "Anytime," he replied, carrying her into the small bedroom and laying her under the covers. He slid in next to her fully clothed and made sure that no part of them touched, careful that even their hands wouldn't accidentally brush. Claire sighed contentedly and he smiled. He had made her happy. He stiffened when she turned around, not quite asleep, and laid her head on his chest. There was practically no space between them. "Myrnin..."she whispered, about to be taken captive by sleep, "I...love..." she was broken off by a yawn. He waited for her to continue, but with one last sleepy sigh, her breathing slowed and she fell fully asleep. Myrnin gradually relaxed, her soft breathing lulling him into a beautiful calm. He gently enclosed her in his arms and laid his chin on top of her head.

This, he thought, is what love feels like. And he liked it.

**So, that was Chapter Four! Sorry it took so long to update, but I found it so tough to write for some reason! I had the ideas in my head but it was just such a challenge to get it typed into words, writers block I guess, never had it before, and I did not like it one bit! Plus, non-stop babysitting did not help at all! So, what did you guys think? I think I'm going to make them kiss in the next chapter. I just can't wait anymore! :) Please R&R, I really appreciate it, it really makes me smile. Thanks again to all those who have reviewed, favourited and alerted so far! xx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, so I said in the last A/N that I was thinking of making them kiss in this chapter, just because I couldn't wait another minute. I just love this pairing, and have been dying to make them a couple since the first line, but I am trying to be realistic. Claire has literally just broken things off with Shane, and I know how loyal and devoted to him she is in the books, so I didn't want that to just vanish straight away. Yet I think Myrnin deserves his time to shine, realistic or not, so, what the hell, let's get this kiss on the road! Hope you enjoy, and please continue to R&R, it's much appreciated. A special thanks to those loyal reviewers that have reviewed the four previous chapters, thank you so much! Every review makes me ecstatic, so thanks to everyone who has :) I'm rambling again! Have to try and be a little more concise next time :P Chapter Five...**

Discovery and Admission

Claire's POV

Comfort surrounded her in a warm blanket as she felt Myrnin's arms support her before lifting her into the small bedroom. She rested her head on his chest and inhaled the scent of him. It was familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time. She could smell chemicals on his vest, but also a fresh scent of soap and some otherworldly smell she couldn't describe. It was just, _Myrnin._ It was the smell of home, of safety, of sanctuary. And, in the moments before sleep took her, she finally wasn't afraid to admit it to herself, love. Not just a crush, not just a phase she was going through, but real and painful love. Wonderful, terrible, amazing and devastating love. As he laid her in the cool bed, she sighed in contentment. She wasn't going to be alone now. Myrnin would be right beside her, blocking out the harsh world and her intrusive thoughts. His presence brought a calm and serenity to her in waves. He was there with her. She was safe. Half asleep, she rolled over to be nearer to him. She could feel him on the other side of the bed and it felt as if he was miles away instead of centimetres. Slipping her arms around him, she laid her head on his chest once more and smiled. In her fatigue, she was growing in confidence and boldness. She could feel that this time, she wasn't even blushing about her actions. He had said he would always be there. Well, that's what he was doing now. Just a lot closer than he would have thought.

Sleep was dragging her down, but she was determined to tell him before she was lost to the world completely. "Myrnin..." she began, "I...love..." a yawn forced its way from her, and, before she knew it, the battle with sleep had been lost.

Myrnin's POV

He had lain all night wondering just what exactly his little bird had been about to say. She loved...what? Hope burst inside him like sunlight as he realised she might have been about to say _you_. It was a very real possibility, he considered. The situation left not much else to finish the sentence with. She was draped over him, breathing even and slow, hands tangled in his sleeves. It couldn't have been _Shane_, she knew he could not bear to hear his name. And Claire was never the type to use the word flippantly, she did not apply _love _or _hate_ to everyday things. So that left _someone_, not _something_. Could that someone be him?

But, like sunlight, he knew his hope was also deadly. If he found out that she did not love him, or even care for him, that hope would destroy him completely. Looking down on her sleeping form, he couldn't imagine anything more perfect. He loved everything about her, everything. The way her hair fell in her eyes when she leant over an experiment, the way her face scrunched up in concentration, the way her hands formed small fists when she was determined. Her strong will, her goodness, her capacity to love and care, to see the good in everyone. Even him.

Unable to help himself, he leant down and softly laid a cool kiss on her forehead. She sighed in her sleep and clutched him tighter, causing a smile to form on his lips. He had longed to kiss her since he had met her. To feel her lips on his own, the joy that it would bring him, the love that would surround his silent heart. He released an unnecessary breath into her hair, causing it to fall into her face. He tenderly brushed it away, trying not to awaken her. She had been sleeping almost three hours and he had not moved an inch from his position, never neglecting his pillow duty. Thoughts raced through his mind in a tumultuous cascade, all concerning the fact that he could no longer hide his feelings for her. He had to tell her, he could not pretend that he wasn't in love with her for another minute. It was killing him all over again. Tomorrow, he was telling her no matter what.

He closed his eyes and let images of her play on the inside of his eyelids as he drifted off into a contented slumber.

Claire's POV

She awoke before him, screwing her eyes up against the assaulting light thrown by the bedside lamp. She quickly took stock of her surroundings, a little disoriented at the change from opening her eyes in the glass house every morning to finding herself in Myrnin's bed in the lab. With her limbs entangled in his, head still lain on his chest, and hands bunched up in the fabric of his shirt. She let out a soft gasp as she realised the position she had left herself in. How was she going to explain this? _Oh, I just flung myself across you and pinned you here all night. No big deal, sorry_? No, there was no feasible explanation but the truth. Here goes nothing.

She tried to disentangle herself silently without awakening him, she didn't want to make what she was about to say any more awkward than it already would be. Sliding her arm slowly out from under his, she bit her lip in concentration and tried to be noiseless. She let out a high-pitched squeak when Myrnin suddenly jerked in his sleep and grabbed her tighter to him. His arms formed an iron cage around her, trapping her to him with bone-crushing force. She couldn't say she didn't like being this close to him. She never really got the chance to examine him this close up, and she was making use of every moment. His face was peaceful in sleep: devoid of all vulnerability, hurt, anger and threat. He let out a soft breath and it hit Claire square in the face. He didn't even have _morning breath_. Claire sighed at the injustice of it all, really, vampires just had it too easy. His mouth curved into a lopsided smile, she had woken him.

"Good morning, Claire," he breathed. She forgot how to. She felt a blush steadily creeping on as she realised that he wasn't about to let her go. He lay comfortably beneath her like it was the most natural thing in the world, casually staring at her as she turned crimson. He chuckled at her and her heart began a steady flutter in her chest, getting faster as his grin turned into a smirk when he heard it. Did he enjoy this torture? Did he live to torment her, to embarrass her, to make her fell weak and small and young and stupid? Claire tried to calm down, she was overreacting and she knew it, but, damn, he knew the effect he had on her, and he loved to flaunt it. He began to trace his fingers along her captive arms, and drew goose-bumps. Claire shivered delicately at his touch. Okay, this was definitely out of the friends-zone. What sort of friend did this? And she didn't think he was the friends with benefits type. She had a flicker of hope...he couldn't be doing this just to mess her around. Could he?

She tried to sit up, but he wouldn't let her. His eyes took on a teasing quality as he restrained her, the smirk returning again when her blush flared up brighter than ever. "Myrnin. M-Myrnin! Let go. Please?" she stammered, struggling to keep a hold on herself now. Another second like this and she _would _kiss him. The teasing light dimmed in his eyes and his face fell a little as he released her. She sat up on the bed, disentangling her limbs from his much longer ones. She sucked in a trembling breath and looked down at her hands folded across her lap. She had to stay calm and tell him now or she never would. She summoned all the courage she had and opened her mouth to speak, hands shaking. Myrnin looked troubled and perplexed, he slowly reached out and gently took hold of her shaking hands in his. "Are you alright, Claire? Did I...did I hurt you?" he sounded horrified at the idea, a tone of worry creeping into his voice. His brow creased as he searched her face, worry etched into every line.

"No! No, not at all. It's just...well I just wanted to tell you something." She finished in a rush.

"Yes? What is it, Claire? Are you sure you're okay?" He was working himself into a panic, she could see his eyes growing more and more troubled. She had to tell him now before she lost her nerve and he lost his cool. She took another shaking breath and began. "Myrnin...this last few days you helped me so much, but it's not just recently...I mean, you're always there for me. And I-I really appreciate it. A lot. You're such a good friend and-and..."

"Claire. You're rambling. Just tell me. What is it?" his directness made her even more nervous, how could he be calm right now?

"Oh-okay," she began, steeling herself, "Myrnin, I-I...I think I-I...I think I love you!" she blurted. Myrnin sat frozen, not moving a millimetre from his position, not even blinking.

Then he lunged across the bed, pulling her against him. He pulled her closer still, placing a hand on the small of her back, pressing her flush against him. He took her face gently with the other. She gasped as she felt his cool breath caress her face and felt all the air leave her as he slowly lowered his face to level with hers. He hesitated for a fraction of a second, suddenly unsure and shy. His eyes scorched hers, molten brown, and then he captured her mouth with his own.

The world exploded. Claire was shell shocked, was this actually happening? The feeling of his mouth on hers was like nothing she had ever experienced. He kissed her gently at first, timidly, as if afraid of her reaction. When she did not resist him, he began to kiss her like his immortal life depended on it. His lips were fire, burning her in the most divine way, frenzied in their passion. She responded the only way she knew how – she kissed him back. His hand moved to tangle in her hair as her own clutched to him, he was her anchor; it was only the two of them as the rest of the world faded away. She sighed softly into his mouth, lightheaded in her happiness, and he pulled her even closer in response, a small growl sounding from deep in his throat. Their mouths moulded together perfectly, like pieces of the same puzzle, made to be together.

Her heart was hammering a mile a minute, and her breath was coming in shorter and shorter gasps as the kiss deepened. He lightly ran his tongue along her lips, seeking entrance, and she did not deny him. Her mouth parted as he slipped his tongue inside, exploring her mouth with intense fervour as she more than happily returned the favour. He ran his hand gently up her spine drawing another shiver from her, she felt her head begin to spin, she could barely support herself. As if sensing this, he slipped strong arms around her, supporting her as she broke for air. She gulped down a lungful of cool, sweet air, fighting for breath that she feared may never return. He had literally left her breathless.

"Myr-My-Myrnin..." she gasped out, "That was..._incredible_." Hell, even incredible didn't cut it. That was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to her in her life. He was an _excellent _kisser. And, judging by the smirk on his face, he knew it.

"Well, I try my best," he said around a grin. He was still supporting her, two strong arms around her as she laid her head on his chest, and she felt him rumble with laughter. "Oh, and in case you are wondering, little bird, I love you too. Insanely so."

Was it possible to die of happiness? She thought she just might.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N finally updating! I'm so sorry that I've taken forever to update, school was insane and between summer work and babysitting, I've had so little free time. I was pretty sick for a while, too, but still, I left it way too long...my bad. So, at long last, here it is, Chapter Six! I made it really long to try and make it up to you :p The storyline is a little crazy, sorry. I had writers block for ages and this idea came out of the blue. I hope it was worth the wait! Please review, it means so much, and thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed so far! Reading these reviews makes me a very happy bunny slipper. And in response to an anonymous review, no, Claire isn't suicidal. :) Here goes...**

***I own nothing* and that makes me sad.**

Chapter Six

Differing Reactions

Myrnin's POV

He hadn't felt this happy in his entire existence. Claire was warm and sleeping peacefully in his arms. Her breathing was deep and rhythmic, her beautiful face serene and a faint smile on her lips as she slumbered. He didn't have to keep his distance anymore, because she loved him. She _loved_ him. He found himself grinning again at the thought, unbelievable as it was. He had waited forever for a moment like this with his little bird, with a longing so intense it had brought tears to his eyes. To hold her, to tell her how he felt, and to hear her say she felt the same. To have a life with her, to make her happy, to talk to her and listen to her worries, to help her in anything, to be there for her no matter what. She stirred slightly in her sleep, breaking him out of his reverie. Saying his name softly, she turned closer into his embrace, her hands reaching in search of him.

"Shh, now, its okay, I'm here," he murmured, stilling her instantly, "you're safe, my little bird." She let out a faint sound of contentment and settled into his arms again as he soothingly stroked her hair, the happiest fool alive. Or dead, as the case may be.

Amelie's POV

This was not happening. This was most definitely not happening. Frank flickered in front of her, donned in his usual biker attire, speaking the words she had dreaded to hear. Somehow, she had convinced herself that this moment would never come, but on reflection, she knew she had deluded herself. She had seen the way he looked at her, how he got that stupid little smile on his face whenever they had discussed her. But never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that the fool would tell her how he felt, and worse still, _kiss_ her. What was he thinking? Was he thinking at all? Probably not, he rarely ever thought of consequences, he had proved this to her many times before.

"I'm telling you, he was kissing her. Really going for it too. My son's girl!" He broke off; heaving for a breath he needed even less than she did. "You've gotta put a stop to it, it's not natural! He's brainwashed her or something. Messed with her head with one of those crazy machines. He's...he's..."

"Enough." She put as much iciness in her voice that she could manage, just shy of lowering the room temperature. Who was this, this...hologram, to speak to her this way? Did he think that she approved? He couldn't be any more wrong. And most of his disgust was because she was his sons "girl"? His idiocy was astounding. Claire had done much for Morganville in the short space of time she was there. She was valuable, but not so invaluable that they couldn't do without her. In this case, Myrnin was more important to the town. Assistants can be replaced, he could not.

"There's only one solution, and you already know what it is. She must be destroyed."

His expression would have been amusing if the situation wasn't so serious. He looked stunned, his hologram was flickering more than ever as he struggled to compose himself.

"Kill-kill the girl? Are you crazy? You know how much she's done for you, for this town! Shane..." He was sputtering incoherently by the end of his outburst, spouting about vampire scum, lunacy, and the like.

"Silence!" She bursted, "Do you know who you are speaking to? I think you've forgotten. I am the Founder. I am Morganville. And _I _decide what goes on inside it. The girl must be destroyed. That way he will never go in search of her, and he will get over it, just like he got over Ada. Now go. I have business to attend to."

Frank flickered out, leaving her alone in the large office. She sank slowly to a chair, weighed down by what she was about to do. There was no other way out of this. If she gave them even one more day together, it would be too much. Myrnin would kill the girl just as he had Ada. Vampire-human relationships were notoriously unsuccessful. She was still surprised to see the Rosser girl walking around each day; it really was a miracle Michael hadn't killed her. Even if he did, he would get over it. He had a stable mind, and even if he did decide to wallow for the rest of eternity, remove himself from their society, the town would survive. If Myrnin killed Claire, he would die himself. The town simply could not do without him. If she were killed by another hand, removed from the picture, would he not survive? Of course, he would grieve for a few decades. He would be hurt, but he would recover. It would be his duty to the town to do so, just as she had done after the death of Sam. She may have appeared uncaring to Frank, but the truth was, she had grown to like the girl. She had courage, and that was something Amelie could admire. How could she have been so foolish? Myrnin, she expected, he had no self control. But Claire, Claire should have known better than to get involved with him. She reached for the phone as she told herself that the safety of her town was more important than one meaningless assistant, trying to make herself believe it. She would do what had to be done. He answered instantly.

"Oliver. He's done it. He told her. The fool _kissed _her." She heard his growl of annoyance and it told her what she'd already suspected. Like her, he'd grown fond of Claire too.

"I'll be there in five minutes."

It really was a pity.

Oliver's POV

It was all arranged. Amelie had made him set it all up, of course. He was used to doing all her dirty work by now, but this was different. She didn't want this one on her conscience. Well, too bad, she had given the orders. They were waiting in an alleyway a short distance from the lab, one she would have to pass on her way to the square. He had found the pair of them on the outskirts of Morganville a few weeks ago, and they had been imprisoned ever since. Now he had a use for them. He had given them Amelie's clear instructions, no biting. This had to look human. Of course, Myrnin would know otherwise, but their scent would be unfamiliar to him, and it was the human residents they were trying to fool. Wouldn't want another uprising. He still thought it all a bit unnecessary and all too premature, but Founder's orders were not taken lightly, even by him, though she need never know that. He sat and stared at the clock. Now all he had to do was wait.

Claire's POV

Myrnin had left only a few hours ago, but it felt like days. He had been called out of town on business for Amelie and had promised to return by this evening, before placing a kiss on her lips and telling her not to miss him too much. She giggled slightly as she realised the perfection of that morning goodbye. She could repeat it every day, and it thrilled her that she would. Sighing happily, she shuffled into the kitchen donned in his robe to inspect his cupboards for something resembling food. She was halfway through searching when her cell rang. Approaching it cautiously as though it might explode, she gingerly lifted it to check the call ID. She exhaled when she saw that it wasn't Shane and answered. "Oliver? What's wrong - is everything okay?"

"Believe it or not, Claire, it is not an emergency every time we speak." So he was cranky today, as usual, "Amelie wants to see you as soon as possible. It's about the Glass house."

"Uhm, okay," she replied, slightly confused, "should she not talk to Michael about it?"

"No, it has to be you. Now just meet her, I don't have all day to sit and gossip on the phone with you. I've got a shop to run." He hung up, leaving her to rush dinner (an extremely nutritious dish consisting of an out-of-date chocolate bar) and shower. She borrowed a pair of Myrnin's flowery boxer shorts and socks embellished with sequined cows due to lack of clean underwear, putting on her own slightly worse-for-wear clothing, drawing the line at wearing one of Myrnin's insane shirts in public. Leaving a quick note to explain where she was going, although she doubted this meeting would be that long, she decided to walk to kill more time until he came back. She skipped out the door, smiling and singing to herself all the while.

Shane's POV

He sighed loudly at his father. Man, he really did _not_ want to know what Claire and the freak were doing in his creepy lair. She was just as bad as the bloodsuckers, no loyalty. They'd been broken up for what, a day? Two at most? And yet by the sounds of it she was having the time of her life with the residential undead lunatic. It made his skin crawl.

"Yeah, whatever, Dad," he huffed, "Me and Claire broke up, so I don't care."

His father's image was wearing a pretty hefty scowl right now, clearly neither of them was enjoying the father-son bonding time. "You broke up with her?" he asked, incredulous, "What happened to all this 'she's great' crap? What did you do, Shane?"

Shane rolled his eyes petulantly. Really, what was this, twenty questions? "Yeah, we broke up. So? I've broken up with plenty of girls before. What's the difference? I cheated on her." He paused at the shocked and somewhat disgusted look on Frank's face. "What?" He continued, "She was gone for weeks. _Weeks_. I got lonely and the girl was willing. It didn't mean anything. I tried to tell her that but she flipped out, wailing for that insane boss of hers. He swooped in through that damn portal, acting the hero, and she went with him all dewy eyed. After he nearly killed me, I might add. And now she's sucking face with him? No thanks, dad, I'd really prefer if you spare me the details."

Frank's image shifted, tilting in anger. The boy had really screwed it up this time. Claire was devoted to his kid, and even though he didn't like the girl to begin with, she was good for him. He could hardly believe he'd raised such an idiot. "Son, you really are stupid sometimes. Turns out you're more like me than I thought. You did bad by that girl, Shane. You can't hold it against her now that she's with him; you're the one that gave her the opportunity."

"Okay, Doctor Phil," he grumbled, "I don't need a lecture. I've lost her, and a speech from you isn't going to change that. Who else knows that she's with him? Don't want the whole town knowing my girl ditched me for a leech."

"That's why I came. Amelie knows. I told her, I thought she'd order them apart and punish him for it, not her. Shane, she's going to kill her." The gravity in his voice left no room for negotiation; he was stating a stone cold fact. Even though he claimed not to care, Shane felt bad for what he'd done. He'd taken advantage of Claire and he knew it. As much the thought of her and the leech together repulsed him, he didn't want her to die. "Where is she?"

Claire's POV

She was halfway to the square when her cell rang again. She pulled it out of her pocket, expecting it to be Oliver again and flinching when she saw that it was Shane. Taking a shaky breath, she flipped it open, preparing herself for another torrent of excuses and begging, shocked when she heard the sheer panic in his voice.

"Claire? Claire?" He was practically shouting, what the hell was going on? "Claire, are you there? Where are you? Claire!"

"What? Calm down. I'm right here. What is wrong with you?" She made no effort to conceal the anger and annoyance she felt. Why did he have to ruin everything, even her good moods?

"Claire, listen to me," he pleaded, "Where are you? You're not safe. Tell me where you are. The leeches-"

"Oh, shut up Shane," she interjected, growing more infuriated by the second, "just shut up. If you think you can scare me into getting back with you, you're wrong. I'm not going to tell you where I am just so you can turn up and rant about the "leeches" and how I'm safer with you. You should've thought of that before you cheated, shouldn't you? You're unbelievable. I'm a lot safer with the vampires than I am with you, that's for sure. At least with them I know where I stand."

"Claire, no! Listen, dammit! I'm telling you-"

"No, YOU listen, Shane! Don't call me again!" She hung up furiously, annoyed at herself for the tears that threatened to break over. Honestly, it was ridiculous. He was just screwing with her, trying to frighten her into running back to him. Well, that wasn't going to happen. Still, she was on edge, unsettled by his claims. It was getting darker as dusk crept up behind her, and she quickened her pace. She almost jumped out of her skin when her cell rang again, but her heart-rate slowed when she realised it was Myrnin's ringtone. She answered, feeling safer already if only for his voice on the other end of the line. "Bonjour, Madame," she could hear the smile in his voice as she laughed at his absurdly bad French accent, "I just thought I'd let you know the delightful news, I'm finished my extremely professional and dangerous business. Well, not really, but I'm coming home now anyway. Get dressed in your finest regalia, I'm taking you out. I feel it's only fair to woo you with my extraordinary skills of courtship."

She giggled, and fought to control a blush fighting its way across her cheeks as she answered him. "Oh, good sir, I agree. It is the gentlemanly thing to do, and one does so love to be wooed. I'm on my way to the square, but it shouldn't take too long, I can't wait to see you. I missed you like crazy."

"Claire, you are taking the portal, aren't you? It's getting dark and I don't want you unprotected on the streets..." his voice was becoming more and more anxious as he continued, worried by her lack of response, "Claire. You are taking the portal, aren't you?"

"Uh, about that," she started guiltily, she hadn't meant to worry him. She had left when it was still light out, but after the phone call with Shane darkness had descended much more quickly than she had expected. "I'm walking," she winced at his sharp intake of breath, "but I'm almost there. I'll take the portal back, I promise."

She heard his groan as though he was right beside her, it sounded as though she really had worried him despite her trying not to. "Claire," he sighed, "you more than anyone know it's not safe! I'm nearly home now, I'll catch up. Please, Claire, don't amble, get there as soon as you can. Promise me."

"I promise. I'll stay on the phone with you the whole time. If anyone even looks at me funny I'll hold the phone out and you can scare them away with one of your scary growls." She heard him utter a reluctant and uneasy laugh, he was still worried.

"Wait a second, I don't growl, do I?" She grinned at his genuine concern over the matter before assuring him that yes, he most certainly did growl. "But don't worry," she said as she rounded the corner, "I think it's cute." She could almost feel his blush through the phone.

They came out of nowhere, slowly encircling her. Her heart began to pound in her chest, painfully loud. Vampires.

"Claire? Claire, darling, are you still there?" She could taste the panic in his voice as he repeated her name, begging her to answer him. She was frozen, a terrifying panic of her own locking her in place as they circled closer, until she could feel their breath on her cheek."Myrnin, I-"

They lunged suddenly, cutting off her short, petrified scream and taking her by the throat as her cell clattered to the ground.

The last thing she heard was Myrnin's loud, frightened shout of her name.

**A/N so that was it! Hope it wasn't too horrible. Please R&R, it's much appreciated! **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N : So glad that you all loved to hate the cliff-hanger haha! I was feeling particularly evil that day :-) Thanks for all the lovely reviews, it seriously heartens me so much and I really and truly appreciate them, so thank you. Please keep R&R-ing, it makes my day when you do :D I've been trying to decide how to continue this for ages - Kill Claire? Maim/Injure her? Allow Myrnin to reach her in time? It was hard to decide but I finally did in the end, you'll just have to read on to find out...*evil laugh* :B**

**I still own nothing. If I did, Myrnin and Claire would be married by now! D:**

Chapter Seven - Fading

Myrnin's POV

The world was falling away around him. Everything was burning, crumbling, disintegrating. Claire. Something was happening to Claire. Where was she? Who had taken her? Was she alright? Where they hurting her? The thoughts were a maelstrom of confusion, melting together, crashing through his mind and twisting and turning until they lost all coherence. Only one word survived the chaos of his mind – _Claire. _He was running now, streets rushing by in a blur, cell phone long since lost. Her scream, oh God, her scream, she had been so frightened...Panic was beginning to take over, he was drowning in it, floundering, he had to reach her, she was in danger...

Calm. Calm. He must be calm. He was no use to her in this muddled state, if he let the panic and fear take over he would never reach her, he would lose her forever. The thought was so painful that he cried out, but there was no one here to hear his anguish. The streets of Morganville were deserted, and he couldn't find her, she wasn't here, she was _gone_...

There! He could feel her, sense her close, she was near, so near. He had never been glad for biting her, marking her, until that moment. It allowed him to find her, the only thing that mattered to him, that had ever mattered in his long and lonely life. He rounded the corner and almost fell from the momentum, all vampiric grace lost in his terror. She was straight up ahead, he was a second away from reaching her, saving her, keeping her safe. She was surrounded by them, and he could see her tears, hear her frightened and erratic breathing. It broke his heart.

"CLAIRE!" He screamed, voice distorted and cracked in distress, "I'm here! Claire!"

She turned, face full of terror, and began to cry harder. "Myrnin! Myrnin, help! They're not –"

He was running now, her fear intensifying his own. But his fear was slowly morphing into another, much more feral emotion. Anger. Yes, that was it, anger. He was _furious. _He would tear them to pieces, and make sure they were fully conscious to feel it. When he was finished with these two, they were going to wish they had never been born...

He was millimetres away when they did it. It was the pain and shock that flitted across her face that told him. She raised her hands shakily to her side, before slowly sinking to her knees. The whole world whited out, it was only her and him. Her attackers fled, but he didn't notice, all that mattered was her. "Claire! Claire!" He was suddenly on his knees in front of her, pulling her onto his lap as tears blurred his vision. Blood, so much blood. "Claire? Claire, answer me! Say something, please, darling, please!"

"Myrnin, they- they st-stabbed me- they- they st-st..." His heart was splintering into a thousand pieces as she shivered in his arms, raising her hand weakly to her face to look at the blood. It was pooling out of her side, now, relentless as the tears from his eyes.

"It's okay, little bird, hush now, everything is okay, you're going to be okay..."he broke off as she started to cry, heaving great sobs as she struggled for a breath. _No, no, no, no, no. _This wasn't happening, he was going to wake up any minute now, and this is all just some hideous nightmare...

"I-I'm scared, Myrnin...it hurts..." she whimpered, sobbing into his neck as he slowly stood, cradling her in his arms. The blood gushing from her side didn't tempt him, for once in his life, he wanted someone's blood to remain in them, to sustain them and not him. Grief was already starting to smother him; he was losing her...no. He hadn't lost her yet. And he would be damned if he did. "Claire, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that I wasn't there to protect you..." he whispered, but she had lost her fight with consciousness, and his clothes were readily becoming soaked in her blood. The hospital, he had to get to the hospital. Doctor Goldman...Theo would be able to help her. He could save her. He had to.

Placing a hand gently over her wound, trying futilely to stop the escape of her blood, he began to run.

Claire's POV

She was beginning to fade away, she could feel it, and she was terrified. She had always been brave, she could fight, Morganville had taught her how to be strong. But this was different, knowing that death was real and it was close, that it could take her away and she could not stop it. That with the amount of blood she was losing she wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. She was so unprepared. She was so scared.

She could dully feel Myrnin's arms around her, cradling her and keeping her close as he mumbled something softly in her ear. Sorry? She couldn't make it out; it was muffled, far away, as if she were hearing him through a closed door. Something wet landed on her face, again and again. Rain? This was the desert; it never rained here...or did it? Sense was moving farther and farther out of her reach, where was she? She felt the wind rushing around her, but it barely registered. What was happening? Questions tumbled around her head, uncertainty and fear in one lethal mix. Something was pulling at her, a nagging, persistent urge to just let go, to leave, to float away.

But she couldn't leave, could she? Her friends, her mom and dad...they would miss her, wouldn't they? And Myrnin...Myrnin. She could see him now, tinkering with an experiment in the lab, looking ridiculous in his Hawaiian shirts and bunny slippers, saving her, laughing with her, kissing her. But he was vanishing, fading away. She tried to reach him, but all she found was blackness. She called for him...but who was she searching for? She couldn't remember...a face without a name quickly dissolving from her mind. There was no one here, she was alone. The blackness began to surround her, but she was no longer afraid. It was welcoming, it was safe, all she had to do was let go...so she did.

And suddenly, nothing mattered at all.

**®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®A/N: So, what'd you think? Hope you liked it :-) Not as much of a cliff hanger this time. Still haven't decided whether Claire will die or not to be honest, we'll have to wait and see. Please review? Thank youuuu :-) **


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Happy New Year! __ Remember all those times I said I'd update more often? Yeah, me too. I never ever do it! Sorry. Every time I go to write something else always comes along, or I just sit for ages and write about two words. Anyway, I'm updating now. I left it on a cliffhanger that wasn't really a cliffhanger because, come on, would Myrnin ever let Claire die? Or is he already too late...muahahahah!_

_Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own MV :( The chapter title is actually a line taken from The Mortal Instruments series, which is also perfect and which I also don't own. *sigh* _

Chapter Eight

To love is to destroy 

Theo's POV

Theo Goldman was not easily shocked. Decapitations, murder, burns, disease, limbs hanging off – he'd seen it all. As a young human doctor, things like this had disturbed him, even upset him. Centuries later, he found himself unaffected by almost anything. It wasn't that he didn't care, he simply became...detached. The detachment came after the realisation that his emotions would not help to save a patient. His pain, his terror – none of it would change a thing. He could only do his best and hope that it would be enough. Sometimes it was, sometimes it wasn't. He had lived long enough to accept that death could not always be prevented. He wanted to save everyone that he could, but sometimes that wasn't always possible, and that was okay.

He was tending to a patient when he heard the screaming from his waiting room. The very walls of his office were shaking, dust floating down from the roof, the panes of glass in his windows shuddering within their frames. He was beginning to remember what shock felt like when he heard a roar above the sea of terrified shrieks, harsh and brittle, "No, I will _not wait! _I demand that he see her now or I swear that I will tear down this building brick by brick until he does! THEO!" Was that _Myrnin_? It couldn't be, he had been cured. Hadn't he? Dread filled the doctor as thoughts of the disease returning filled his mind – was it a new strain, more potent than the last? Did Myrnin have it? Was it contagious? Had he killed someone?

He rushed out of the office and into a warzone. The furniture was nothing more than rubble, the last few remaining chairs in the process of being brutally kicked across the room to shatter against the walls by an enraged Myrnin. He was holding someone in his arms – Claire? Theo couldn't be sure, the girls head was lolled back, face hidden behind a curtain of dark, straggled hair. Whoever she was, she was losing an awful amount of blood, and fast. Myrnin's clothes were saturated with it, his hands liberally coated, one pressed against her side and another cradling her head. From the looks of things, it was he who had hurt this girl. Amelie was going to be furious.

Myrnin was like a tornado, ripping through the waiting room, destroying everything in his path. His eyes blazed in red fury, every muscle was tightened, and he was ready to pounce on the nearest subject. At this moment that subject seemed to be Theo's shaken secretary, who had lost all colour and appeared to be on the verge of fainting. "TELL ME WHERE HE IS!" Myrnin screamed, "HE MUST SEE HER! NOW!" The secretary cringed back from Myrnin's advances, voice audibly shaking as she tried to speak, "He- he- he's in his o-off-office-he's-"

Theo felt a wave of compassion for the poor girl. It was her first week in his office, and she was getting a glimpse of the dark side of the seemingly innocent Morganville. He was extremely angry at Myrnin, how dare he storm in here and demand service after annihilating the place? How dare he frighten his patients and his staff, especially when he has hurt the girl himself? He had always tried to be patient with Myrnin. Truthfully, he felt sorry for him. He tended to be the brunt of the jokes around here – the resident lunatic, the raving fool, never taken seriously. Theo knew that Myrnin had a good heart; he only ever wanted to do right even though his actions generally caused things to go disastrously wrong. He seemed to be constantly at war with his nature. Vampires were predators, they loved the hunt and the kill. They were malicious, tended to be cruel and were generally all things _bad_. Myrnin himself had always been a little on the crazy side, but he tried to be good and behave. Theo remembered when the disease had first gripped Myrnin, how he struggled against losing himself, and the torture of being consumed by the evil within him. Myrnin couldn't help that part of him was like that, none of them could.

But this was too far.

"Put the girl down," Theo said, using all of his famous composure to keep his voice level, "now."

Myrnin spun on his heel to fix Theo with a blood red glare. His grip on the girl tightened, and he shifted her slightly, causing her hair to fall back off her face. _Oh, great._ It was the Danvers girl. Things had just become a thousand times more difficult. Theo knew of Myrnin's feelings for the girl, how irrational they made him. For her, he would do anything. And that made him reckless.

"Theo, where have you been? I need your help, please, she's hurt..." His voice was distorted by tears, a fresh sob bubbling from his lips, "p-please."

Dr Goldman was no longer angry. All he felt was pity. Myrnin looked wretched, tears smearing his face, clothes blood soaked, hair unruly, eyes red-rimmed from his heartache. Theo hadn't seen him like this in centuries, since Ava. But this was somehow worse than even that. Myrnin just looked so...helpless. The desperation in his eyes was clear, and it came close to affecting the distant Dr Goldman. He knew that this girl would be lucky to survive.

"Bring her in. Quickly."

Myrnin's POV

His heart was breaking. Claire already seemed like nothing in his arms, she was wasting away right in front of him. She was losing. Of course, he could change her. Save her, and give them an eternity together. But he knew within his heart of hearts that Claire wouldn't want that. She had told him before, time and time again, that she would never become one of them. How could he live with himself if he changed her against her will? It was not a temporary, reversible thing. If he changed her, there was no going back. But he would be damned if he was going to lose her. Against her will or not, he would not let her die on him. And if that meant changing her, so be it.

He knew it was selfish, he hated himself for so resolutely ignoring her wishes, even hypothetically. But he didn't care. He couldn't survive without her.

Theo was leading him into one of the surgery rooms at the back of the hospital. Although his rampage had felt like hours, it had really only lasted minutes. Minutes she didn't have. She had long since lost consciousness, and she was completely slack in his arms. It felt as if she had already gone.

Fresh tears sprang to his eyes to join the already incessant flow. His hands were shaking around her; he could barely hold her, though she weighed nothing.

Theo gestured for him to place her on a gurney under a harsh, fluorescent light. Everything in this place seemed so cold and sterile, worlds away from the warm comfort of his bedroom in the lab which he had left Claire sleeping in only this morning. Had it really only been this morning? It felt like weeks ago, like living a never ending nightmare he could never wake up from. He gently lowered her on to the gurney, heart aching at the sight of her ashen features. She was so pale; her small frame huddled on the thin mattress. She looked so..._broken_. Like her life had drained away, like she just...wasn't there. Like she was already gone.

Theo was a blur of motion around her prone body, inserting an IV, calling for the nurse to bring this and that. Time was crawling by, and Myrnin was becoming more and more frantic with each passing second.

"Is she- is she going to be okay?" He hated the tremor in his voice, hated how weak and vulnerable he sounded. This was a time when he needed to be strong, but as usual when Claire was involved, his strength fell to pieces. He wished his hands would stop shaking.

Theo didn't falter as he answered. "She's lost a lot of blood, Myrnin. I don't want to tell you that she'll be okay, because I don't think she will." The words felt like a physical blow. Suddenly his legs would no longer support him, and Myrnin found himself on the floor. She couldn't do this to him, she c_ouldn't._ She was going to sit up any second now, and laugh at the whole thing, telling them all how stupid they were for even considering that she could die. She was going to be completely fine because she said she loved him and that meant that she wouldn't leave. They would go home, and she would be safe and they would be happy.

He was barely aware of the harsh sobs that tore through him, or the shudders that racked his body. The scene around him was playing out in slow-motion, like a distant dream. He knew Theo was speaking, but couldn't hear the words. All he could see was Claire. Her small form huddled on the gurney, her shallow breaths weakly raising her chest, her face as white as snow. He could hear her heart struggling from here. She was leaving him.

"She looks like one of us." His soft murmur caught Theo's attention. The doctor looked pained for a split-second before he regained his composure, pushing his glasses up his nose in a very human gesture.

"Myrnin, I've known you for a very long time. You've saved my neck more than once, and for that I owe it to you to tell you the truth. She's – she's not going to make it. I'm sorry. There's nothing more I can do." Theo was searching his face, waiting for the realisation to hit home.

Myrnin shakily got to his feet. A million thoughts went crashing through his mind, and a thousand emotions battled in his heart. But of one thing he was absolutely certain. She was not going to die, not like this, and not now. He wouldn't let her. He'd lost her once before, and he would be damned if he would ever lose her again. He couldn't lose her, not without losing himself too. He'd made her a promise, but what use was a promise now? He reached her side, and took her fragile hand in his.

"Myrnin." Theo's voice cut through the white noise. "Are you sure you can do this?"

No. He wasn't sure. But he had to try. He had to. He was surprised by how calm he sounded when he replied. "I don't know. But I can't let her die, Theo. I can't. Please, go. Let me do this."

Dr. Goldman exhaled sharply before ordering the nurses from the room. Myrnin could feel his hesitancy, could sense him staring at him from the door, before he, too, silently left.

He tried to control the tremor that ran through his hands as he bent to place a light kiss on Claire's lips, pressing his forehead gently against hers.

"Claire," he whispered against her mouth, "I'm sorry."

And then he bit her.


End file.
